Sergei Chernetski Wins Volta Catalunya Stage Six

Last updated : 29 March 2015 By Covsupport News Service

Sergei Chernetski (Katusha)  has won the sixth stage of Volta Catalunya.

A penultimate stage of 194kms from Cervera to Port Aventura theme park had Richie Porte of Team Sky as its race leader.  

A break of twenty one riders in Daniel Navorro and Chetout Loic (Cofidis), Fabrice Jeandesboz (Europcar), Marco Minnaard (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Georg Preidler (Giant-Alpecin), Steven Kruijswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo), Jonathan Hivert and Florian Vachon (Bretagne-Seche Environnement), Maciej Paterski (CCC Sprandi Polkowice), Tom Danielson (Cannondale-Garmin), Carlos Verona and Julian Alaphilippe (Eitxx-QuickStep), Pierre-Henri Lecuisinier (FDJ), Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida), Eduard Vorganov, Egor Silin and Sergei Chernetski (Katusha), Tejay van Garderen (BMC) and Marc Soler (Movistar), got away after a three man break including Tom Danielson had taken some of the KOM points to keep his lead in the competition.

On a very windy day, they had a lead of four minutes before work by Tejay Van Garderen started to reduce the peloton.

The gap dropped to two minutes with twelve kilometres to go for the twelve who were still out front.

The peloton which has lost Alberto Contador in a crash although he was able to get back on his bike, appeared to have given up and  Verona, Chetout and Steven Kruiswijk (LottoNL-Jumbo) all tried to attack but it was Julien Alaphilippe, who led the riders going onto the finishing straight.

Alaphilippe led until 150 metres to go when up came Sergei Chernetski (Katusha) to pass him and take the win in 4.42.47.

Third was Maciej Paterski, followed by Soler, Hivert, Van Garderen, Preidler, Molard, Danielson and Verona with Marinus Minnaard leading home the peloton some 1.23 later.

Chernetski said about his win to his team's website: "I was in the break with Egor and Eduard.

On the last climb I was concerned about a split so I made sure to stay in the front. I was watching for attacks and when it split I was in the right place. In the final I wanted to attack earlier but in the last kilometers it was full gas and there was no place to get away.

"Instead I could only concentrate on the upcoming sprint and today was my day!

"This is my first WorldTour victory and it is very big for me. I want to say thank you to my team and friends, -

Team Sky's Richie Porte finished 29th and keeps his lead going into the final stage